Cuba condemns U.S. sanctions against Venezuela

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HAVANA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cuba on Saturday rejected new economic and financial sanctions imposed on Venezuela by U.S. President Donald Trump, as tensions between Caracas and Washington continue to grow.

Havana condemns these new "unilateral and arbitrary" measures against Venezuela, deputy foreign minister Abelardo Moreno said in a statement.

"Cuba rejects these unjust and illegal sanctions which violate international law against Venezuela and the government led by President Nicolas Maduro," said the statement.

The statement, published on the foreign ministry website, added that it's "imperative" to defend the declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a peace zone signed by all heads of state of the region in 2014.

"Our continent can't forget its own history, we must defend the principles and commitment of that declaration," added the statement.

Venezuela is Cuba's main political ally in the region and its second largest trading partner as Havana receives around 100,000 barrels of oil daily from the former in exchange for medical doctors and other advisers.

The new sanctions, signed Friday by Trump, will prohibit dealings in new debt and equity issued by the government of Venezuela and its state oil company.

The financial sanctions did not mention cutting off U.S. imports of Venezuelan oil, which could be critical to Caracas' economy as well as U.S. oil refiners.

This was the latest round of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on Venezuela after the latter held elections to elect the National Constituent Assembly at the end of July. Washington blacklisted Maduro on July 31, one day after the elections.